Photo from Unsplash | Artists Eyes
The following post does not create a lawyer-client relationship between Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices (or any of its lawyers) and the reader. It is still best for you to engage the services of a lawyer or you may directly contact and consult Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices to address your specific legal concerns, if there is any.
Also, the matters contained in the following were written in accordance with the law, rules, and jurisprudence prevailing at the time of writing and posting, and do not include any future developments on the subject matter under discussion.
AT A GLANCE:
The month of July of every year is declared as the “Blood Donor’s Month” pursuant to Proclamation No. 1021, series of 1997.
Blood donation is a humanitarian act that has saved thousands of human lives. The State, through then-President Fidel V. Ramos, aims to assure adequate supply of volunteer-sourced human blood through a sustained promotion of the advantages of voluntary blood donation.
The Proclamation provides:
“NOW THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, do hereby declare the month of July of every year as “Blood Donor’s Month”.
I hereby call upon the residents of the Philippines to turn their thoughts to and be inspired to emulate the men and women in our country who freely and voluntarily give part of themselves to help those in need of blood and its components.”
The Philippine Red Cross
The Philippine Red Cross is a premier humanitarian organization in the country that is committed on various social welfare services and promoting volunteerism.
Under Republic Act No. 10072 or the Philippine Red Cross Act of 2009, the Philippine Red Cross shall be organized as the voluntary, independent and autonomous nongovernmental society auxiliary to the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in the humanitarian field, to assist said authorities in discharging the obligations set forth in the Geneva Conventions and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Pursuant to the fundamental principle of unity, the Philippine Red Cross shall be the only national society of the Red Cross in the Republic of the Philippines and be directed by a central body, and shall perform the duties inherent upon such status over the entire Philippine Territory. (Section 3, Philippine Red Cross Act)
The purposes of the Philippine Red Cross shall be the following:
a) To cooperate with public authorities in the prevention of disease, the promotion of health and the mitigation of human suffering by their own programs in such fields as education, health and social welfare, for the benefit of the community;
b) To organize, in liaison with public authorities, emergency relief operations and other services to assist the sick and wounded of armed forces in time of armed conflict, in accordance with the spirit of and under the conditions prescribed by the Geneva Conventions to which the Republic of the Philippines proclaimed its adherence;
c) For the purposes mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, to perform all duties devolving upon the Philippine Red Cross as a result of the adherence of the Republic of the Philippines to the said Convention;
d) To act in matters of voluntary relief and of communication between the people of the Republic of the Philippines and their Armed Forces, in time of peace and in time of armed conflict, and to act in such matters between similar national societies of other countries and the Governments and people and the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Philippines;
e) To establish and maintain a system of national and international relief in time of peace and in time of armed conflict and apply the same in meeting emergency needs caused by typhoons, floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural or man-made disasters, and to devise and carry on measures for alleviating the suffering caused by such disasters;
f) To devise and promote such other services in time of peace and in time of armed conflict as may be found desirable in improving the health, safety and welfare of the Filipino people, and of all peoples in general; and
g) To devise such means as to make every citizen and/or resident of the Philippines a member of the Philippine Red Cross. (Section 4, Philippine Red Cross Act)
Who may be members of the Philippine National Red Cross?
The law says:
“Membership in the Philippine Red Cross shall be open to the entire population in the Philippines regardless of citizenship. Any contribution to the Philippine Red Cross Annual Fund Campaign shall entitle the contributor to membership for one (1) year and the said contribution shall be deductible in fill for taxation purposes.” (Section 6, Philippine Red Cross Act)
Philippine Red Cross Membership is a form of donation that has accident assistance benefits intended for anyone between 3 to 85 years old. As a member, an individual is entitled to accidental death, disablement and dismemberment, hospitalization and burial reimbursements.
At the same time, membership in the Philippine Red Cross gives you access to all of its services in times of emergencies, sickness and disasters. (Philippine Red Cross | Humanitarian Organization in the Philippines)
Related Article/s:
Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices specializes in business law and labor law consulting. For inquiries regarding legal services, you may reach us at info@alburolaw.com, or dial us at (02)7745-4391/ 0917-5772207/ 09778050020.
All rights reserved.